Destiny: the hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future; in other words: fate. The truth of the matter is that no one is coming to save us. Gen Z as a collective has been exposed to more than any generation that came before us. In our digital age, we grew up casually watching atrocities that were previously reserved for war veterans on TV and YouTube, keeping us in a constant state of fight or flight from a very young age. That, along with recessions, high rates of unemployment, horrible medical insurance infrastructure, racial injustice, police violence, rampant propaganda, one of the highest rates of incarceration, drug epidemics, politics overran by greed, additives allowed in our foods that are banned in other countries, a global pandemic that shut the world down, the rise of social media… and the icing on the cake: the impending doom of environmental ruin; well, it’s enough to drive any generation to the brink of insanity and this is all before our 21st birthdays. To say the generations that came before us let us down is an understatement. We were told, “just go to college and get an education THEN you’ll be set for life and successful.” They pushed us away from trades, careers centered around passion, and the arts and into the hands of predatory student loan companies. Despite all this, we persist. Knowledge is power and we have a limitless amount of knowledge, so we must remind ourselves we have a limitless amount of power. There is strength in numbers. We are capable of change and creating a world we are proud to be a part of. Every generation has a rendezvous with destiny, a defining moment or movement that shapes them into the adults they will become and the children they will create after them. No one is coming to save us, so… we must save ourselves and those yet to come. The quote “our children are our elders in universe time” stuck with me. As time passes, and history continues to be documented, each generation following Gen Z will have more and more access to a comprehensive understanding of how we lived. The next generation will have even more insight than us. That is why it’s imperative that we set them up for success. Gen Z has to set the foundation for Generation Alpha and beyond. They need a world better than the one we have today. Where they don’t have to question “How many years will I have to live a peaceful life before Mother Nature catches up to us, how many years will I have to work to save enough money for the down payment of an average house, why does our government take more than it gives, will I die with student loans, does it ever get better?” Things can feel bleak. The world can be scary. But it can also be beautiful. We can have community, we can have peace, we can have vibrant health and financial freedom. We can see America with no homelessness, we can see no child go hungry. There are enough resources for everyone. These things aren’t too much to ask for, they aren’t out of reach. We need to work together. Gen Z as a collective genuinely wants the world to be a better place. We want to live lives of purpose. We want to contribute in meaningful ways without being bound to the dollar. I grew up in Colombia. My family was middle class. My dad who still lives in Colombia has made it apparent to me that every decision he makes is dictated by whether or not it makes money. We had to prioritize, like many others all over the world. I never had the resources to give my passions the attention they deserved and my goal is to change that. I want to make a difference, live a life of meaning, and positively impact others who grew up like me. Every day I look for purpose. I’m working hard to create opportunities for myself that I wasn’t afforded before. I want my life to be full of passion and I want to be able to share my passion with those around me. I moved to America to pursue an education in music. I have been drawn to it for as long as I can remember, but there was nowhere for me to cultivate my passion. As a part of Gen Z, I want to create an impact in the world by using my education in music to bring hope, passion, and opportunities to the next generation in Colombia that I didn’t have. Everyone deserves to be doing what makes them happy no matter where they’re from and I intend to share my knowledge with kids like me who are drawn to the arts. For so long, human beings have been motivated by power, individualism, and greed.We have been so obsessed with the concept that “more is better.” More money, more technology, more consumerism, more “progress,” but at what cost? Gen Z had to grow up fast, but I have faith that together we can change the status quo, and if not we will have set a strong foundation for those who come after us. We will give them the hope that we have had to create and nurture on our own. The solutions to our problems will not be found in those who created them, but in those who have suffered at the hands of the ones who came before. Gen Z is breaking down barriers, paving the way, healing generational trauma, and fighting like hell to survive. We will persevere, we will rendezvous with destiny.